Liberals win fight on school-fires report

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State Education Minister Lynne Kosky has lost a battle to suppress a secret report into a spate of school fires that have caused up to $40 million in damage.

Victoria's Civil and Administrative Tribunal yesterday ordered that the report be given to Opposition education spokesman Victor Perton, who sought it under the freedom-of-information legislation.

VCAT deputy president Michael McNamara rejected the argument that the report should be kept secret because it was a report to a minister. "The only species of ministerial briefing papers which are given a blanket exemption are those which relate to matters to be considered by cabinet," he said.

Mr Perton said he wanted the report as more than $40 million of damage had occurred in Victoria's schools since 1999. He said the Government had treated the public with contempt when it argued that the report contained options that might lead the public into "ill-informed speculation or debate".